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The end of the nineteenth century marked the modernization of the maritime signals system of Mexico, with the installation of lighthouses and other sign landmarks in the great ports and along the coasts of the Republic.

To this purpose, beginning in 1886, a special administrative body was established, together with a fleet of ships, for the inspection of the lighthouses. These were accompanied by the introduction of new technology for the lighthouse towers as well as new systems of illumination.

On the peninsula, this process was initiated in the ports of Yucatan Campeche, and the islands of the Gulf of Mexico, and was extended later on to the territory of Quintana Roo; from Cozumel, the lighthouse system continued to the other islands and coasts of the region, signaling the most important navigation points

Cozumel, Mexico

At the end of the 19th century, Cozumel was the hub of the economy, and also of the navigation routes of the Mexican Caribbean. For many years its main port was also an advanced outpost for the pacification and settlement of the territory of Quintana Roo.

The risks of navigation in the channel straits of Cozumel and the need to mark the most dangerous points of the island and of the principle port were the reasons for construction of the Cozumel lighthouses. At the beginning of the 20th century the lighthouses of Punta Molas in extreme north of the island, the signal at the port of San Miguel (a light on the sheltered cove) and a lighthouse on the extreme south Punt Celarain were constructed.

The Lighthouses of Celarain

At the end of the 19th century there was a tower with a signal beacon on Punta Celarain remains of which are preserved near the beach. This was replaced by a beacon of the 4th order at the top of a metal tower. Today only the iron base of the tower and the concrete cistern remain. The present house of the lighthouse keeper was completed in 1908 and still preserves the style of the period. In 1934 a new tower of masonry was built with a beacon of the 4th order of fixed incandescent Dalen light which rotated every 10 seconds and emitted flashes of white light every 5 seconds (based on acetylene gas) The keeper’s home today houses a maritime museum.

This story appeared in the November 2001 edition of Lighthouse Digest Magazine. For subscription information about the print edition, click here.

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